- Yvette Cooper, then Home Secretary, published an article justifying the proscription of Palestine Action, despite warnings from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that it might prejudice the criminal trial of activists.
- The article, published in The Observer, claimed Palestine Action engaged in an “escalating campaign” involving “intimidation, violence, weapons, and serious injuries”.
- Lawyers for the defendants argued the article deprived their clients of the presumption of innocence and constituted an “egregious example of contemptuous reporting”.
- Mr Justice Johnson ruled that while Ms Cooper ran a risk of causing some prejudice, it was not shown that the defendants would not receive a fair trial.
- Four Palestine Action activists were subsequently found guilty of criminal damage, with one also convicted of grievous bodily harm, and will be sentenced on 12 June; Palestine Action's proscription was later declared unlawful by the High Court.
IN FULL